The Masked Groom (Tagalog/Filipino)

Chapter 4: Getting There

MAG-ISA kumain si Clara nang tanghali na iyon. Wala siyang nasilayan na Damien. Nagi- guilty tuloy siya sa kanyang sarili. Dapat kasi hindi na siya pumunta pa doon.

Hindi pa mabura sa isip ni Clara ang mga letrang iyon-E.L.

Paulit-ulit na sumisiksik sa utak ni Clara ang tagpo na iyon nila ni Damien, sa bawat pagsulyap niya, sa maskarang tinatago ang kalahati ng mukha at sa bawat gabing pinipilit niyang intindihin kung anong klase ng lalaking pinakasalan niya.

Bakit mo ako iniligtas kung itatago mo rin ako sa dilim?

Kanino iyon galing?

At bakit ganoon ang reaksyon ni Damien-hindi galit dahil may pasaway sa rules, kundi galit dahil may naungkat.

"Señora, ang libro nyo po. Naiwan sa sasakyan." Inabot sa kanya ito ni Mang Romy.

"Salamat po, mang Romy. Saluhan niyo po ako kumain."

"Nako, mamaya na po may gagawin pa po kasi ako. Utos ni Señor Damien."

Tumango, tango lang si Clara. Umalis na ang matandang driver at bumalik siya sa pagkain na lang. Ngunit may kung anong kirot sa puso niya dahil galit sa kanya si Damien. Pero bakit ko ito nararamdaman?

Gustong katukin ni Clara si Damien sa kanyang kwarto. Gusto niya mag- sorry rito. Siguro'y kaya nararamdaman niya ang guilt dahil masyado siyang mabait at ayaw niya na may sama ng loob ang mga tao sa kanya. Kaya ka tuloy na iisahan Clara.

Nang matapos siya kumain, nagpunta siya doon sa may garden ng mansyon. Naupo siya doon sa may pergola na may puno ng wisteria at ang mga sanga nito ay gumapang na sa taas kaya ang mga bulaklak nito ay nagsilbing bubong.

Sumalong baba siya. Ang siko ay nakapatong sa armrest ng bench swing. She swing slowly. Nag-iisip dahil ayaw niyang iwan si Damien ng may sama ng loob sa kanya ito. Gusto niya ng smooth exit kapag dumating ang araw na tapos na ang kontrata. Ito ang nakasaad sa kontrata nang binasa niya ito. Ma- dedz o hindi, tuloy ang annulment after three months. Ito kasi ang pagkakaintindi niya.

Naroon si Susie at may dala itong tsaa at butter cookies. "Señora, mag tsaa muna kayo. Lavander tea po ito pampakalma."

"Salamat, Susie. Pwede mo ba akong saluhan?"

"Señora hindi po kasi pwede eh. Pero pwede ko po kayong samahan dito."

"Okay, upo ka sa tabi ko." Inilahad ni Clara ang kamay niya sa tabi niya para makaupo si Susie.

"Salamat po." Ngiti sa kanya ng butihing tagasilbi.

"Susie sino si E.L.?" Wala nang patumpik- tumpik pa tinanong na ito ni Clara.

"Huh—? Eh. . ." Tumikhim si Susie. Luminga-linga siya sa paligid.

"Sige na Susie, sabihin mo na. Huwag kang matakot. Gusto ko lang malaman dahil gusto kong makilala ng lubos ang, Señor."

"Ano po kasi. . . Señora. . ." May pag-aalinlangan sa mga mata nito. Lumunok muna ng kanyang sariling laway si Susie bago magsalita. "Si Señora Ellie. . . Elena Lucero. Siya po ang dating maybahay ni Señor Damien."

May sandaling katahimikan sa pag amin na 'yon ni Susie. Well, hindi na magtataka dito si Clara na may dating asawa si Damien. "Nasaan na siya?" tumikhim si Clara. "Uhm, patay na ba siya?"

Umiling si Susie. "Ano kasi. . . Mas malala pa doon, señora." Tumayo si Susie. "Señora, nakalimutan ko mag- plantsa pa pala ako ng mga damit. Maiwan ko na kayo."

"Anong nangyari sa'yo, Elena Lucero?"

+++

Clara found herself in the library—her favorite spot since she arrived. The late afternoon sun filtered through the tall windows, painting golden shadows on the floor. She curled up on one of the velvet couches, a book on her lap, though her eyes hadn't moved from the same paragraph in ten minutes.

She didn't notice Damien entering.

He didn't announce himself, didn't speak. Just walked quietly to the other end of the room and sat in the armchair facing her. A book in hand. The same silence between them-this time, easy.

Clara finally glanced up. "You read fiction?"

Damien didn't look away from the page. He brushed his tousled hair using his finger. "Sometimes. Only when the truth is too heavy."

Clara smiled faintly, resting her head on her palm. "And is today. . . heavy?"

He slowly closed the book, setting it on his knee. "No. Today feels. . . lighter."

Their eyes met. Not a long stare, not romantic or intense. Just real.

She returned to her book, but this time, she read— actually read. A few pages passed.

Binasag ni Clara ang katahimikan nila.

"I used to love quiet like this," she said, softly. "Before the cameras. Before the noise. This kind of silence. . . I missed it."

Damien turned toward her. "You can have it again."

"I'm not sure if I still belong in quiet places," she murmured.

Damien stood, crossed the room slowly, and stopped just beside the couch. He didn't sit. He didn't touch her. He just looked down at her gently and said, "Then stay until it feels like you do."

A soft genuine smile shows in Clara's lips. "Thank you. And I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, Clara. I appreciate that you understand," napansin ni Clara na gumalaw-galaw ang lalagukan nito. "I'd like to take a bit more time to get everything right."

Tumango si Clara. "You can trust me." She said honestly.

He wanted to get to know her better. He can feel that there is something in this girl that is pure. But it's not yet the right time.

Iniba ni Damien ang usapan. "Agahan mo ang gising bukas. May pupuntahan tayo. And. . ." Tumikhim ito, "dress nice, beach wear. . ."

"Saan tayo pupunta?" she bite her lower lips. "Are you inviting me for a date?" kinikilig niyang sambit.

Tumalikod si Damien para hindi mahalata ni Clara ang pag blush ng pisngi niya. "Just do what I said." Calm but firm. Napapikit si Damien para maitago ang nakakahiyang wika niya sa babae. He admits and is guilty that he's a real hopeless romantic guy.

He cleared his throat. "Pack light okay?"

"Aye, aye, Captain."

Napapigil- tawa si Clara kaya ngumiti na lang siya hanggang makaalis ang binata. Natutuwa siya sa kilos ni Damien nanghina kasi ang balikat nito.

+++

MADALING- ARAW sila umalis. Nakahanda na ang jetski na sasakyan nila sa may pampang dahil nakadaong ang yate sa malalim na parte ng dagat. Hindi naman ito kalayuan.

Clara is so sexy in her white maxi dress. Ang loob nito ay blue bikini. Gumalaw- galaw ang lalagukan ni Damien nang nakita ito na medyo sumisilip ang pisngi ng mayamang dibdib ng dalaga. He saw her pure, raw and natural. Kahit walang make- up ay maganda talaga siya.

Medyo na dismaya si Clara sa get up ni Damien. Gwapo na sana sa kanyang beach wear kaso naka maskara pa rin ito.

Pero keri na! Maganda naman ang katawan. Hindi kalakihan, wala rin gaanong abs pero may laban. Pasok pa ring model—sa commercial.

"Kapit ka." Paalala ni Damien.

Sa balikat sana kakapit si Clara pero inalalayan siya ni Damien na kumapit sa bewang niya. Hindi mapigilang ngumiti ni Clara. Sa loob-loob niya tumitili na siya sa sobrang kilig. Gusto niya na magpalamon sa dagat anytime.

Mabilis lang sila nakarating sa yate dahil hindi naman kalayuan ito. Dismayado naman si Damien ang bilis na tsansing lang kasi nag- enjoy pa siya na nakakapit sa kanya si Clara at sumasangga sa likod nito ang dibdib. Nang makaratinh, inalalayan siya ng binata na makaakyat sa yate.

"Good morning, señora Clara." Bati ni mang Romy.

"Good morning, mang Romy."

"Mang Romy, kayo na ho bahala sa jetski."

"Ay sige po, señor Damien. Mag-iingat po kayo at ayos na po ang lahat mag-enjoy po sana kayo." Nagpaalam na ang matanda at sumakay na ito sa jetski para ibalik ito sa pampang.

The yacht was breathtaking - a sleek, modern masterpiece named M/Y Avelina.

The interior was all soft, elegant minimalism: brushed oak flooring, cream leather seats, and huge panoramic windows that framed the endless sea like a moving painting. There was a sunken living lounge, a glass-enclosed dining space, and an upper deck lounge with an open-air jacuzzi.

Clara gasped softly as she passed a master cabin that looked like a five-star suite, complete with plush linens and floor-to-ceiling views of the ocean.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Clara. "This isn't a yacht... this is a floating resort."

Damien chuckled from behind her. "She's my escape. I had her custom-built a few years ago."

She paused in the mini galley, looking at the modern kitchen.

"You even have a kitchen. And showers. Wait— how do you even have running water out here? Don't tell me you bring gallons every time?"

Damien leaned against the doorframe, amused.

Damien is grinning "Nope. The yacht has a watermaker system."

"Huh? Ano 'yon?"

"It's called a desalination system. Basically, we take seawater and turn it into fresh, clean water."

He walked closer and opened a small, sleek cabinet that held the yacht's system controls.

"There's a hydraulic pump down below. It uses high pressure to push seawater through special membranes—reverse osmosis. It filters out the salt and impurities. What's left is potable water. We store it in tanks so you can shower, drink, or even cook sinigang if you want."

"So . . . we're surrounded by the ocean, and now we can actually drink it?" Clara smiled.

"Exactly. She's fully self-sustaining. Solar panels help with power, too. I wanted this place to feel like you could disappear with it— just for a while." Damien smiled softly.

"Is that why you brought me here?"

He looked at her, serious.

"Yeah. Somewhere the world couldn't touch you for a bit."

Clara. . . Ang puso mo. Tatlong buwan lang 'to. Bakit ano na nangyayari sa'yo? I have been so stress lately. Dahil sa nangyari sa market.

“Thanks for shining when I lose my way.”

“Well, maybe you’re the only Sailor I’ll wait for . . .”

He jerked his head sideways. “forget what I have just said.” Lumakad ng palayo si Damien. Ayaw niya pakita kay Clara na nag-iinit na ang pisngi niya. Ayos lang sana kung isang pisngi lang naka maskara naman siya. Kaso dalawang pisngi eh pano naman ang isa?

“Too late, printed in my head.” She teased. Sumunod siya kay Damien na papunta na sa bridge.

The yacht calmly stroll the vast sea while the soft, bluish haze lingers over the land, as if night is reluctant to let go. The stars fade one by one, and the first blush of light appears on the horizon—a delicate smear of pale gold and rose.